WIXQ, the Millersville University radio station, has finished a series of of renovations and is now emitting a stereo broadcast signal.

The station, which broadcasts from 91.7 megahertz on the FM dial, has only emitted a mono broadcast prior to the completion of the studio renovations. The first stereo broadcast took place on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 10am, the first show of the spring semester. The station program director, Don Ruremon, hosted the show.

Nelson Keperling, the station's consulting engineer, said that a stereo generator and a stereo modulation monitor were installed at the station over the break between the fall and spring semester. He said that the equipment, which cost approximately $3000, was needed to finalize the stereo process. A stereo broadcast board was installed prior to the fall 1984 semester.

"Everything had a smooth start," Keperling said. "We tested for a few waves before the first broadcast and everything had worked just great. We don't anticipate any additional maintenance problems with the new equipment."

Keperling said that those people in the broadcasting area should be able to pick up a strong stereo signal on their receivers, but added, "People on the fringe areas of the broadcast radius, that had always picked up a weak signal anyway, will have even poorer sound." He said that the situation can be remedied simply by switching the mono switch on their receiver.

Dr. Ralph Anttonen, the station faculty advisor, said that the stereo broadcast process took over a year..."from the talking stage to the final completion." He said, "We all figured that it would take longer. When we got it done this fast, no one was more surprised than me."

Funds for the renovations were provided from the Capital Improvement budget, the student Allocations fund, and money saved from last year's station budget, according to Anttonen. He said that some projects were cut from the station budget in order for the stereo process to be completed. "This stereo process became the top priority at the station," he said.

"Stereo broadcasting gives the students that operate the station a much more realistic training ground for their future," Anttonen said. "The ones that go on to careers in radio will probably be working in stereo broadcast stations."

Anttonen feels that there is a certain prestige created when a station broadcasts in stereo. He said, "You see the red light go on, and you think, 'Oh boy - stereo!!' It just creates a far superior sound."

The radio station started as a carrier current station in the mid-1960's under the call letters WMSR. In December 1977, the station went on the FM dial, under the call letters WIXQ, and in the fall of 1981, it increased its broadcasting wattage from 10 to 150 watts.

Anttonen said that the only possible next step would be to increase the broadcast power of the station. But he said, "I personally would love to consider it, but I don't think the university is financially ready for it."

Caption: WGAL-TV's Wendel [sic] Woodbury 'Talks Stereo' with Dr. Ralph Anttonen and Tom Cassetta in the newly renovated WIXQ studio.

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